


Take it as a compliment

by AirTrafficControl



Series: Herding Cats [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bird mating rituals, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-13
Updated: 2014-03-13
Packaged: 2018-01-15 12:22:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1304767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AirTrafficControl/pseuds/AirTrafficControl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint isn't happy with Merlin, Merlin is really quite happy with Merlin</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take it as a compliment

Clint was not a happy bunny, or a happy hawk. The Birdbrain was watching the murderer pace back and forth along the window frame. Merlin was not allowed out onto the balcony any more, not after the incident with the pigeon. Now Clint was more of a Hawk man than a pigeon man but he had an avian bond to honour and so he was unhappy with the kitten. It wasn't even a case of ‘aw, Merlin’ so much as a slow and solemn head shake, the sort Coulson gave him when he did something to one of the trainee agents. 

Darcy had explained to Clint multiple times that as a cat Merlin had biological urges to hunt and to find small, fluffy creatures to present as gifts, or threats. Clint knew that and he wanted to forgive the kitten but he just couldn't do it. Every time that he went to look at the little kitten’s face he saw an evil glare and cold, cruel eyes. Clint shuddered; he was just frustrated about what Merlin might go after next. It had been a pigeon that time but it could be a dove next time, or a duckling.  
After another few minutes of pacing Merlin had disappeared, Clint took it as a sign that he had been sat there and pondering for too long and climbed up into the vents to find someone else to annoy. He didn't need Merlin, he was strong and smart and lived with people who could squish him if they wanted to but he survived. Clint climbed around for a while before he heard Steve moving in the kitchen, maybe he had made lunch.

A few days later, as Clint was perched on the window ledge, the black fur ball rolled up next to him. Clint could tell that the kitten was carrying something but he couldn't bring himself to look. A few minutes later Merlin put whatever it was down and pawed at the archer’s hand. Clint looked down expecting to see a bird of some sort but instead he saw a mouse carcass. 

Clint may not have been an actual hawk but he did recognise the offering. Merlin was sat pushing the ex-mouse towards Clint, a peace offering. Hawkeye tried not to preen as he used a cloth to pick up the mouse and dispose of it. The kitten was following along at his ankles and Clint decided he would forgive him, after all killing things and giving them as gifts reminded his of Natasha.


End file.
